“I am the Lord, your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy; because I am holy.”
Leviticus 11:44
Consecration means “to make holy.” Pope Pius XII said that the consecration of the Mother of God is a total gift of self, for the whole life, and for all eternity as it tends essentially to union with Jesus, under the guidance of Mary. By our consecration, we acknowledge the power of the Queen of Heaven and we promise to offer our prayers and oblations to God through the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Why Do We Consecrate Ourselves?
“So then, my friends, because of God’s great mercy to us, I appeal to you: Offer yourselves as a living sacrifice to God, dedicated to His service, and pleasing to Him. This is the true worship you should offer.”
Romans 12:1
Like the call of God, consecration is an essential part of our holiness. By consecrating ourselves, we desire to live a life that agrees with the commands and will of the divine grace. This purification rite transforms us, our perspectives, and our actions in line with God’s calling. We call upon Mary in our consecration to ask for help in magnifying our commitment to the Holy Trinity.
To consecrate is to live as an apostle of Mary, to strive to imitate her virtues, and to grow in acceptance of God’s redeeming Cross. To live in consecration is to become the helpers of Mary in bringing the world back to God.
Act of Consecration to the Blessed Virgin Mary
I.
I venerate thee with all my heart,
O Virgin most holy,
above all Angels and Saints in paradise,
as the daughter of the Eternal Father,
and to thee I consecrate my soul with all its powers.
Hail Mary…
II.
I venerate thee with all my heart,
O Virgin most holy,
above all Angels and Saints in paradise,
as the Mother of the only begotten Son,
and to thee I consecrate my body with all its senses.
Hail Mary…
III.
I venerate thee with all my heart,
O Virgin most holy,
above all Angels and Saints in paradise,
as the beloved Spouse of the Spirit of God,
and to thee I consecrate my heart and all its affections,
imploring thee to obtain for me from the Most Holy Trinity
all the means of salvation.
Hail Mary…
Act of Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary
O Mary, Virgin most powerful and Mother of Mercy, Queen of Heaven and Refuge of Sinners, we consecrate ourselves to thy Immaculate Heart. We consecrate to thee our very being and our whole life: all that we have, all that we love, all that we are. To thee we give our bodies, our hearts, and our souls; to thee we give our homes, our families and our country. We desire that all that is in us and around us may belong to thee and may share in the benefits of thy motherly blessing. And, that this act of consecration may be truly fruitful and lasting, we renew this day at thy feet the promises of our Baptism and our First Holy Communion. We pledge ourselves to profess courageously and at all times the truths of our holy Faith, and to live as befits Catholics, who are submissive to all directions of the Pope and the bishops in communion with him. We pledge ourselves to keep the Commandments of God and His Church, in particular to keep holy the Lord’s Day. We pledge ourselves to make the consoling practices of the Christian religion, and above all, Holy Communion, an important part of our lives, in so far as we shall be able to do. Finally, we promise thee, O glorious Mother of God and loving Mother of men, to devote ourselves wholeheartedly to the spreading of devotion to thy Immaculate Heart, in order to hasten and assure, through the queenly rule of thy Immaculate Heart, the coming of the kingdom of the Sacred Heart of thy adorable Son, in our own hearts and in those of all men, in our country, and in all the world, as in Heaven, so on earth. Amen.
Sources:
- Act of Consecration
- Daily Consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary
- My Consecration
- Consecrate Your Family to Jesus Through Mary